Round 57

Halie's hands trembled slightly as she finished tracing the last symbol of purification in the air, the holy light from her silver amulet casting flickering shadows across the ancient stone walls. The oppressive aura that had clung to the corridor like a shroud began to dissipate, but not entirely—something dark still pulsed beneath the surface, waiting. "It's... better," she said softly, her blue-grey eyes scanning the flickering green runes that crawled along the walls like diseased veins. "But it's far from clean." A sudden chill ran down her spine as a faint sound reached her ears—a rasping whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Leaving now... will not be needed..." The words sent a fresh wave of fear coursing through her, but she forced herself to remain still, clenching her holy symbol tightly in one hand. "Did you hear that?" she hissed to the others, her voice barely audible. "Whatever was here... it's retreating. But I don't think it's gone."